Carly Fiorina: Supported by the National Organization for Marriage

Withdrew Candidacy​

In her brief time as a candidate for public office, Carly Fiorina has made it clear she stands against LGBT equality, gaining support from organizations that oppose full equality for LGBT people.

Marriage : Said she believes that marriage is between “a man and a woman.” Supported a federal constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage in 2010 (later opposed one in 2015). Opposed the court ruling that struck down California’s Prop 8, allowing California same-sex couples to marry.

Discrimination: While she has said that Hewlett-Packard (HP) granted same-sex partners benefits for years, she has opposed non-discrimination protections as a candidate. She opposed the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which would give LGBT workers express federal protections from employment discrimination. She also defended Indiana’s religious refusal bill that put LGBT people at risk for discrimination.

Executive Order: Unclear

Conversion Therapy: Unclear

Adoption: Unclear

Anti-Bullying: Unclear

Harmful Rhetoric : Said that she found nothing “objectionable” about Indiana’s religious refusal bill that puts LGBT people at risk for discrimination.

Fiorina’s Notable Quotes on LGBT Equality

Fiorina Accused Apple’s Tim Cook Of Hypocrisy For Objecting To Indiana Religious Freedom Law Despite China And Saudi Arabia Having Poor Records On LGBT Rights. The Wall Street Journal reported that “Mrs. Fiorina, who is weighing a bid for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, called the week’s controversy over the Indiana statute the result of corporations bowing to ‘narrow special interests’ rather than broad public anger. CEOs like Apple Inc.’s Tim Cook, who publicly objected to the Indiana law, have engaged in ‘a level of hypocrisy here that really is unfortunate,’ said Mrs. Fiorina, who was CEO of Hewlett-Packard from 1999 to 2005. ‘When Tim Cook is upset about all the places that he does business because of the way they treat gays and women, he needs to withdraw from 90% of the markets that he’s in, including China and Saudi Arabia,” she said Thursday afternoon during an interview with Wall Street Journal reporters and editors. “But I don’t hear him being upset about that.’” [Wall Street Journal, 4/3/2015 ]

Fiorina Said There Was “Nothing Objectionable” About Indiana RFRA Law And “This Is A Ginned-Up Controversy By People Who Play Identity Politics.” According to the Wall Street Journal: “Mrs. Fiorina said there was ‘nothing objectionable’ about the law Indiana Gov. Mike Pence signed last week. The legislation drew an extraordinary backlash from local and national business groups. Lawmakers on Thursday amended the law, adding protections for gays and lesbians. ‘I think this is a ginned-up controversy by people who play identity politics that has divided the nation in a way that is really unhelpful,’ she said.” [Wall Street Journal, 4/3/2015 ]

Opposed same-sex marriage, but said she supported domestic partnerships instead.

Voted for California Proposition 8 to ban same-sex marriages.

Supported a federal constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriages in 2010, later opposed it in 2015.

Opposed court decision striking down Proposition 8.

Said she believed marriage is between “a man and a woman”

Supported by the National Organization for Marriage.

Opposed court rulings granting same-sex couples the ability to marry, said states should decide the issue instead.

Fiorina Did Not Support Same-Sex Marriage, But Supported Domestic Partnerships. According to the Associated Press: “Her campaign says Fiorina believes marriage is between a man and a woman but also supports domestic partnerships.” [Associated Press, 11/17/2009]

Fiorina Voted For California’s Proposition 8 That Banned Same-Sex Marriages. According to the Wall Street Journal: “‘I will not run away from [conservative] values,’ Ms. Fiorina says, noting that she has signed the Americans for Tax Reform pledge against higher taxes and voted for Proposition 8 last year, which banned same-sex marriage in the state.” [Wall Street Journal, 11/27/2009 ; CarlyForCa.com, accessed 10/1/2010 ]

Fiorina “Disagreed” With Court Ruling Overturning Proposition 8. Newsweek reported: “The overturning last week of the controversial ban on gay marriage reverberated across the country. But at the source of the action, California’s top politicians simply pushed the food around on their plates…..On the Republican side, top pols were even less willing to go into detail. When asked, Senate challenger Carly Fiorina said plainly that she ‘disagree[d]’ with the ruling.” [Newsweek, 8/9/2010 ]

Fiorina Said She Disagreed With Ruling Striking Down Proposition 8 But That Ruling “Is One In What Will Be A Multi-Step Legal Process.” KPCC reported that after Judge Vaughn Walker ruled Proposition 8 unconstitutional, “Republican state Senate candidate Carly Fiorina also said today that the voters clearly spoke on the issue at the ballot box in 2008. While she said that she disagrees with the judge's ruling, ‘this is one in what will be a multi-step legal process.’” [KPCC 89.3, 8/4/2010 ]

Fiorina Said She Believed Marriage Was “Between A Man And A Woman.” According to the Huffington Post, during a U.S. Senate debate Fiorina said, “I do believe that marriage is between a man and a woman, but also have been consistent and clear that I support civil unions for gay and lesbian couples. The Defense of Marriage Act had broad bipartisan support. And actually, the position I've consistently espoused is consistent with that of our President and a vast majority of senators in the U.S. Senate.” [Huffington Post, 9/2/2010 ; VIDEO]

Fiorina Said Judge’s Decision Overturning Proposition 8 Was “Not Appropriate” Because Voters Were Clear When They Passed It. In a U.S. Senate debate, Fiorina said, “The voters were quite clear about their views on this [Proposition 8] and this is now going through a legal process. Whatever your view about gay marriage, I think many of us would conclude that when voters have such a clear decision, for that decision to be overturned by a single judge seems perhaps not appropriate.” [Think Progress, 9/1/2010 ]

Fiorina Was Supported By The National Organization For Marriage. According to the Associated Press: “Two conservative groups opposed to abortion and gay marriage are teaming up in an effort to get more Latinos to vote for Republican Carly Fiorina. The Susan B. Anthony List and the National Organization for Marriage are spending $200,000 on a television ad that will run on programs aimed at Spanish-speaking voters in Los Angeles, San Diego and Fresno. The ad says that Sen. Barbara Boxer supports ‘abortion and homosexual marriage’ and ‘doesn't share our values.’” [Associated Press, 10/8/2010]

Fiorina Said That When It Came To Marriage Equality That People Did Not Want “Self-Appointed Judges Saying ‘This Is Culturally The New Norm.’” During an interview on ABC’s This Week, Fiorina said, “I think we have to be careful, because John Boehner's views, which are different from Rob Portman's views, are equally sincere. And I think when we get into trouble on this debate when we assume that people who support gay marriage are open and compassion and people who don't are not. It's why I believe the right way to solve these very personal issues is to let people vote on them, don't have judges decide it, don't even have representative government decide it, let people vote on it in the states. I think people of both points of view, accept the democratic process. What they don't always accept is a bunch of self-important, self-appointed judges saying this is culturally the new norm.” [ABC, This Week, 3/17/2013 ; VIDEO ]

Fiorina Believed States Should Decide On Same-Sex Marriage. During an interview on CNN’s Your Money, when asked whether it was appropriate for companies to weigh in on same-sex marriage, Fiorina said, “Well, in some ways, companies have already weighed in on the debate because they have provided benefits for same-sex couples. On the other hand, I think this is an issue that -- where clarity is helpful so now the Supreme Court has given us some clarity but it's clearly also an incredibly emotional and personal issue for so many people. My own view is the states ought to vote on this, vote on marriage but the Supreme Court has spoken in terms of benefits, so let's move on.” [CNN, Your Money, 6/30/13]

Fiorina Said “The Worst Thing” The Supreme Court Could Do Was End The Conversation On Marriage Equality. During an interview with the Christian Post, when asked what the Supreme Court should do on the case that summer that would “decide whether the U.S. Constitution requires states to redefine marriage to include same-sex couples,” Fiorina replied: “This is an important conversation that is going on in homes, churches, and communities across the country. I think that the worst thing the Supreme Court can do right now is shortcut this conversation.” [Christian Post, 2/6/2015 ]

Fiorina Said That While The Government Should Bestow Benefits Equally, We Must Protect Beliefs Of People Of Religious Conviction Because “Only A Man And A Woman Can Create Life Which Is A Gift That Comes From God.” According to Bloomberg: “‘The debate about gay marriage is really a debate about how the government bestows benefits and whether they should be bestowed equally. I believe they should,’ Fiorina said in a statement. ‘I also believe that people of religious conviction know that marriage is a religious institution with a spiritual foundation because only a man and a woman can create life, which is a gift that comes from God. We must protect their rights as well.’” [Bloomberg 4/2/2015 ]

Fiorina Clarified That She Supported Civil Unions And Government Benefits For Same-Sex Couples. When reached for comment, spokesperson Anna Epstein said that Fiorina has, for years, supported government benefits for same-sex couples bound by civil unions. ‘Carly is against discrimination and for government benefits for same-sex couples,’ Epstein said. ‘She's been supportive of civil unions and was supportive of them in her run in California in 2010.’…Unlike many of her potential GOP rivals, Fiorina is unequivocal in her support of government benefits to gay couples bound by civil unions, even while stopping short of supporting gay marriage.” [Bloomberg 4/2/2015 ]

Fiorina Declined To Support Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage As Between One Man And One Woman, Declined To Take A Position On Statewide Bans On Same-Sex Marriage. According to the Wall Street Journal: “And though she is a social conservative, Mrs. Fiorina said she would not back a federal constitutional amendment to define marriage as between a man and a woman. She declined to take a position on whether states should be allowed to ban same-sex marriage if they choose. ‘My view is irrelevant,’ she said, ‘because the Supreme Court is going to decide that.’” [Wall Street Journal, 4/3/2015 ]

Fiorina Said That She Supported “Traditional” Marriage, But Hoped For A “Respectful Conversation Without The Name-Calling And Without Criticizing Anyone’s Beliefs.” National Journal reported that “In a long and thoughtful—albeit convoluted—emailed response, Fiorina told National Journal that though she personally believes in traditional marriage, ‘the conversation we've actually been having in this country is about how government bestows benefits and whether the government should bestow benefits equally upon its citizens, which it should. And what religious liberty means and whether we should continue to respect the expression of sincerely held religious beliefs as a fundamental human right, which it should.’ She continued: ‘I hope we are at the point now in this country where we can have a respectful conversation between people who have different views--between people who believe marriage is a religious institution with a spiritual foundation and those who believe government should bestow benefits and rights equally among its citizens. I hope we can have a respectful conversation without the name calling and without criticizing anyone's beliefs.’” [National Journal, Accessed 4/9/2015 ]

Fiorina Said Marriage States Should Be Allowed To Decide Their Own Marriage Policies. Asked by National Journal whether states should have the right to decide their own marriage policies, “‘I have always believed this should be a state issue,’ Fiorina said via email.” [National Journal, Accessed 4/9/2015 ]

Fiorina Say “Government Cannot Provide Benefits In A Discriminatory Fashion, But Marriage Is A Religious Institution. Only A Man And A Woman Can Create Life.” According to Time, “Fiorina also reiterated her pro-life stance on abortion, and said she supports civil unions for same-sex couples but believes they should receive the same benefits as heterosexual couples. ‘I think government cannot provide benefits in a discriminatory fashion,’ she said. ‘But marriage is a religious institution. Only a man and a woman can create life which is a gift that comes from God, and I think it is important for us to respect and protect those who hold that view.’” [Time, 5/4/2015 ]

Fiorina Said Hewlett-Packard Offered Same-Sex Benefits Back In 2000. During an interview on CNN’s Your Money, when discussing companies have been moving forward with same-sex couple benefits, Fiorina said “Yes. We did it when I was at Hewlett-Packard way back in 2000.” [CNN, Your Money, 6/30/13]

Fiorina Said The Indiana “Religious Freedom” Law Was Misunderstood. According to CNBC: “Indiana's ‘religious freedom’ law has been misunderstood and is an example of everything that is wrong in politics, former Hewlett-Packard Chairman and CEO Carly Fiorina told CNBC on Monday. The legislation, signed last week, has sparked an outcry from critics who say it could give businesses the right to refuse service to gay people. ‘I think everybody needs to sort of step back and cool off here and look at the facts, on both sides,’ said Fiorina, who is considering a run for the Republican presidential nomination.” [CNBC, 3/30/2015, VIDEO ]

Fiorina Said Indiana’s “Religious Freedom” Law Did Not Discriminate. According to CNBC: “Fiorina believes it is incumbent on every CEO to take advantage of all the talent out there, including in Indiana. ‘It's not in any company or particularly a technology company's interest to discriminate in any way and that's not what this law does. This law doesn't condone discrimination,’ she said.” [CNBC, 3/30/2015, VIDEO ]

Fiorina Criticized Leaders In Silicon Valley For Attacking The Indiana “Religious Freedom” Law, But Not Discrimination In Different Countries. During an interview with USA Today, Fiorina “blasted business leaders in Silicon Valley and elsewhere who have criticized the Indiana law as discriminatory, questioning why there isn't similar outrage ‘about the subjugation of the rights of women and gays in many countries in which these companies do business.’” [USA Today, 4/1/2015 ; VIDEO]

Fiorina said Indiana Law Controversy Was Destructive And Caused By “A Set Of Liberal Political Activists Who Practice A Game Of Identity Politics And Divisive Politics To Whip People Into A Frenzy.” According to USA Today, “Fiorina said it was ‘shameful’ how, in her view, liberals have fanned the furor over the Indiana law. ‘I honestly believe this is a set of liberal political activists who practice a game of identity politics and divisive politics to whip people into a frenzy, and I think it's very destructive to the fabric of this country,’ she said.” [USA Today, 4/1/2015 ; VIDEO]

Fiorina Said That While The Government Should Bestow Benefits Equally, We Must Protect Beliefs Of People Of Religious Conviction Because “Only A Man And A Woman Can Create Life Which Is A Gift That Comes From God.” According to Bloomberg: “‘The debate about gay marriage is really a debate about how the government bestows benefits and whether they should be bestowed equally. I believe they should,’ Fiorina said in a statement. ‘I also believe that people of religious conviction know that marriage is a religious institution with a spiritual foundation because only a man and a woman can create life, which is a gift that comes from God. We must protect their rights as well.’” [Bloomberg 4/2/2015 ]

Fiorina Clarified That She Supported Civil Unions And Government Benefits For Same-Sex Couples. When reached for comment, spokesperson Anna Epstein said that Fiorina has, for years, supported government benefits for same-sex couples bound by civil unions. ‘Carly is against discrimination and for government benefits for same sex couples,’ Epstein said. ‘She's been supportive of civil unions and was supportive of them in her run in California in 2010.’…Unlike many of her potential GOP rivals, Fiorina is unequivocal in her support of government benefits to gay couples bound by civil unions, even while stopping short of supporting gay marriage.” [Bloomberg 4/2/2015 ]

Fiorina Said Boycott Of Indiana Did Not Help “Build Tolerance” And That We Should “Celebrate A Culture That Protects Religious Freedom While Condemning Discrimination.” Bloomberg reported: “In her statement Fiorina chastised ‘people on the left’ as well as the CEOs from companies joining in a boycott of Indiana over its new law for not attempting to help ‘build tolerance.’ ‘It has been tough for some in the media to understand my position because I refuse to join the game of name calling and vitriol. Politics shouldn't be a game, however. We must find a way to respect one another, to celebrate a culture that protects religious freedom while condemning discrimination,’ Fiorina said.” [Bloomberg 4/2/2015 ]

Fiorina Accused Apple’s Tim Cook Of Hypocrisy For Objecting To Indiana Religious Freedom Law Despite China And Saudi Arabia Having Poor Records On LGBT Rights. The Wall Street Journal reported that “Mrs. Fiorina, who is weighing a bid for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, called the week’s controversy over the Indiana statute the result of corporations bowing to ‘narrow special interests’ rather than broad public anger. CEOs like Apple Inc.’s Tim Cook, who publicly objected to the Indiana law, have engaged in ‘a level of hypocrisy here that really is unfortunate,’ said Mrs. Fiorina, who was CEO of Hewlett-Packard from 1999 to 2005. ‘When Tim Cook is upset about all the places that he does business because of the way they treat gays and women, he needs to withdraw from 90% of the markets that he’s in, including China and Saudi Arabia,” she said Thursday afternoon during an interview with Wall Street Journal reporters and editors. “But I don’t hear him being upset about that.’” [Wall Street Journal, 4/3/2015 ]

Fiorina Said There Was “Nothing Objectionable” About Indiana RFRA Law And “This Is A Ginned-Up Controversy By People Who Play Identity Politics.” According to the Wall Street Journal: “Mrs. Fiorina said there was ‘nothing objectionable’ about the law Indiana Gov. Mike Pence signed last week. The legislation drew an extraordinary backlash from local and national business groups. Lawmakers on Thursday amended the law, adding protections for gays and lesbians. ‘I think this is a ginned-up controversy by people who play identity politics that has divided the nation in a way that is really unhelpful,’ she said.” [Wall Street Journal, 4/3/2015 ]

Fiorina Calls For Protection Of Religious Liberty Amid SCOTUS Same-Sex Marriage Ruling. In a statement regarding SCOTUS’s same-sex marriage ruling, Fiorina said: “Moving forward, however, all of our effort should be focused on protecting the religious liberties and freedom of conscience for those Americans that profoundly disagree with today’s decision.” “We must lead by example, finding a way to respect one another and to celebrate a culture that protects religious freedom while promoting equality under the law.” [Carly Fiorina, Twitter statement, 6/26/2015 ]

Fiorina Said Clerk Denying Marriage Licenses Either Should “Execute The Government’s Will” As A Paid Employee Or “Go Seek Employment Elsewhere.” IIn an interview with Hugh Hewitt, Fiorina was asked: “There’s a Kentucky county clerk today. She’s refusing to issue licenses to same-sex marriage couples. She’s in comtempt of court in essence. What would your advice be to her?” Fiorina responded: “First, I think that we must protect religious liberties with great passion and be willing to expend a lot of political capital to do so now because it’s clear religious liberty is under assault in many, many ways. Having said that, when you are a government employee, I think you take on a different role. When you are a government employee as opposed to say, an employee of another kind of organization, then in essence, you are agreeing to act as an arm of the government. And, while I disagree with this court’s decision, their actions are clear. And so I think in this particular case, this woman now needs to make a decision that’s [about] conscience: Is she prepared to continue to work for the government, be paid for by the government in which case she needs to execute the government’s will, or does she feel so strongly about this that she wants to severe her employment with the government and go seek employment elsewhere where her religious liberties would be paramount over her duties as as government employee.” [Hugh Hewitt, 9/1/2015 ; AUDIO ]

Fiorina Said That “Because Government Is Paying Her Salary, I Think That is Not Appropriate” For Clerk To Continue To Refuse To Issue Marriage Licenses. Asked by Hugh Hewitt whether Kentucky clerk Kim Davis should continue civil disobedience by refusing to issue same-sex marriage licenses, Fiorina said: “Given the role that she’s playing. Given the fact that the government is paying her salary, I think that is not appropriate. Now that’s my personal opinion. Others may disagree with that, but I think it’s a very different situation for her than someone in a hospital who’s asked to perform an abortion or someone at a florist who’s asked to serve a gay wedding. I think when you’re a government employee, you are put into a different position honestly.”[Hugh Hewitt, 9/1/2015 ; AUDIO ]

Claimed there was “nothing objectionable” about Indiana’s religious refusal bill that put LGBT Americans at risk for discrimination.

Fiorina Accused Apple’s Tim Cook Of Hypocrisy For Objecting To Indiana Religious Freedom Law Despite China And Saudi Arabia Having Poor Records On LGBT Rights. The Wall Street Journal reported that “Mrs. Fiorina, who is weighing a bid for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, called the week’s controversy over the Indiana statute the result of corporations bowing to ‘narrow special interests’ rather than broad public anger. CEOs like Apple Inc.’s Tim Cook, who publicly objected to the Indiana law, have engaged in ‘a level of hypocrisy here that really is unfortunate,’ said Mrs. Fiorina, who was CEO of Hewlett-Packard from 1999 to 2005. ‘When Tim Cook is upset about all the places that he does business because of the way they treat gays and women, he needs to withdraw from 90% of the markets that he’s in, including China and Saudi Arabia,” she said Thursday afternoon during an interview with Wall Street Journal reporters and editors. “But I don’t hear him being upset about that.’” [Wall Street Journal, 4/3/2015 ]

Fiorina Said There Was “Nothing Objectionable” About Indiana RFRA Law And “This Is A Ginned-Up Controversy By People Who Play Identity Politics.” According to the Wall Street Journal: “Mrs. Fiorina said there was ‘nothing objectionable’ about the law Indiana Gov. Mike Pence signed last week. The legislation drew an extraordinary backlash from local and national business groups. Lawmakers on Thursday amended the law, adding protections for gays and lesbians. ‘I think this is a ginned-up controversy by people who play identity politics that has divided the nation in a way that is really unhelpful,’ she said.” [Wall Street Journal, 4/3/2015 ]